Please along those lines someone start making wooden wheels again too. :-)

I second that motion. Not sure what I'm gonna do when my Softride finally wears out--based on Dan's series on Tri-bikes I'm guessing a Kestrel Airfoil but it aint gonna be as comfortable on my old bones and paratrooper back.

/r

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Steve

I agree...someone needs to take Softride back to profitability...the demographic is there...aging tri population with deep pockets who want to buy speed while maintaining comfort, all the while suffering from decreasing flexibility!

First, we need to convince people that they don't need a UCI-legal bike. Second, we need to convince the uci and the USCF that the beam bike allows injured people to compete. Third, we need to shout it from the rooftops that a beam bike is very, very beneficial for all aspects involved, including aerodynamics and injury rehab/prevention.

Yeah! Bring back Softride... so long as the quality stays high and they don't try to cut corners to save money. Cycling doesn't need tradition.... innovation trumps.

Seems to me there might be enough interest on ST to get the company going. You might want to see how many investors you can raise here.

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Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

Despite the big talk, triathletes are actually quite conservative in their bike choices and have largely been afraid to vere away from the traditional double diamond frame design. Radical designs like the Softride, Titanflex, Zipp 3001, BP Stealth, etc which proved themselves in the wind tunnels, still never got the following they deserve within the tri community.

When my Softie dies I guess I'll be back on a double diamond. Ugh!

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

I think the main reason why those bikes were not popular is money. These bikes were very, very expensive in their days. This is why the Hooker, the Lotus, and the Zipp were not very popular. Everyone lusted for one, but nobody could cough up the $$$. These bikes were also produced in the low thousands if not high hundreds. I think the Zipp would probably fetch $5-7K if they were new frames today, and the Lotus would cost closer to $7-10K. That would be the 2007 equivalent.

I think the most popular tri bikes in the heyday of the bikes I mentioned were the:

1) Scott Waimea

2) KHS aero turbo

3) anything made by QR

4) anything made by Trek (no, they didn't have a tri bike)

5) a few things made by Cannondale (they had a tri bike or two, but I saw mostly C'dale road bikes in the transition areas back then)

These bikes were well under $1500 complete (I think the KHS and Scott was around $799) with 105 and the occasional 600 mixed with 105, with the Treks being a bit higher. I am talking somewhere around '93-'97. These bikes would now fetch between $1200-1999.

Most of the Superbikes were gone by '99, with a couple hanging on a bit longer. I couldn't even get my hands on a Hooker when they were most "easily" obtained (and I had the cash), and I had to settle for a KHS. I did have a rebadged QR for a short while in the late '90s, as well. I could have bought a used-up Hooker, but knowing whom I would have bought it from, I was afraid of what the frame would be like after this pro had used it...

I admit that I scoffed at beam bikes in the early days. It was only after a cracked vertabrae that I got over my prejudices of beam bikes. But cost and availability were the most likely reasons why the superbikes languished with tri geeks. I do believe that one of the reasons why the UCI banned the superbikes were both cost and availability.

That's more or less the business plan for the 101 series... ;-)

As long as the beam is intact on the traditional beams and you have plenty of front pivot bolts (I have a lifetime supply), you're golden on a traditional Softride. On the Rocket/FasTT, you had better buy as many new pivots, or you're screwed.

My favourite track wheels were wooden.

Consider a TitanFlex. Two different models. Try the one that you like best...you may be glad you did...especially if you have back issues. If you are using it for a TT bike, make sure you get a size with sufficient front-to-center distance. I love mine for longer TT rides/races, but for very hilly or for short TT's, I ride an aluminum double triangle, because the power requirements are so different. In a short/hilly ride, I tend to anchor myself to the saddle for more power...on a Softride or TitanFlex, I lose a bit of power as the suspension deflects a bit, most noticeable to me on seated uphills. Standing, cranking up a hill, the TitanFlex is far superior to the Softride in stiffness/efficiency. If you aren't powerful, or if you don't do short time trials, or if you spin up hills rather than drop your cadence a hair and slide back on the seat to climb, the TitanFlex might be near perfect. You can get a stiff boom, even wedge a rectangular aluminum bar in it to minimize side-to-side flex, and be happier with it than any Softride you've ever ridden, and as efficient on it as any DD frame. Plus, you get the better cornering traction of a suspension, compared to a DD frame.

I'm just saying, no Softride doesn't mean there isn't an excellent, even better, alternative out there right now.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

The "Cube." Here's what I found at Eurobike. If the photo doesn't show, I posted
at www.turquand.blogspot.com

Buy a Titanflex, and be done with it. What it doesn't fit. Talk to Tom he has custom built a few in the past.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

I agree with Paulo....ST is only one part of the demographic. A product/service has to sell to the 99.99% majority of triathletes who have not heard of ST. I believe ST has 14,000 registered users...perhaps 5x with lurkers...the TAM has to be bigger than that as you'd only expect to capture a sliver of the TAM.

[reply]As long as the beam is intact on the traditional beams and you have plenty of front pivot bolts (I have a lifetime supply), you're golden on a traditional Softride. On the Rocket/FasTT, you had better buy as many new pivots, or you're screwed.[/reply]

Alas, I have a rocket TT.
Good idea. I got it replaced 13 months ago due to a crash that bent the beam support and broke the beam.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

If my softie dies, a TF is definitley on my short list. I would have bought one, except that the Softie was a great deal.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

WHY?

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"Your limits are self imposed"

Thats the most sensible statement I've heard on bike design in ages................

Pete, I would buy that piece but I have the lack of dollars at this point. Besides that new Transition will be quite tasty.

The Kid

I wish this would happen, I'm youngish (29) flexible and have no back problems and I still choose to ride a old softride powerwing 700.

Its the faster most comfortable best handling bike I've ridden. I might consider a Titanflex at some point if it fits me, but I'd need to ride it first to see if it has similar properties.

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